Foot-operated ratcheting lever for actuating a traveling nut of a screw-operated vise



Nov. 29, 1949 B. E. THOMAS 2,489,731 FOOT-OPERATED RATCHETING LEVER FOR ACTUATING A TRAVELING NUT OF A SCREW-OPERATED VISE I Filed Jan. 2, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ben E Thomas INVENTOR.

Nov. 29, 1949 E, THOMAS Z, ,731

FOOT-OPERATED RATCHETING LEVER FOR ACTUATING A y TRAVELING NUT OF A SCREW-OPERATED VISE Filed Jan. 2, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m S IJ 6 a w m J J m m N 4. ii 4 0H 93 W h I v w. m T 4 -2 E o l6 e A 2 0 B 9, W .m M 6 :r 0 2 J 3 2 o M 5 o 0 6 0 M n m w o A 0 000900000 m r 8 I 3 w 6 w H I 2 0/ .2 4 o M W 5 v m. 2 F M 4 .M

Patented Nov. 29, 1949 F OO'I. OPERATED'- RATCHETING LEVER FOR ACTUATING A TRAVELING NUT OF A SCREW-OPERATED VISE Ben E. Thomas,,Coulee Dam, Wash.

Application January-2, 1948, Serial No. 189

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in vises and the primary object of the'present invention is to provide a benchvise including novel and improved foot operating means for actuating the. movable jaw of said bench vise.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a foot operated bench vise including a foot pedal operatively' connected to the movable jaw of said vise and embodying novel and. improved means for automatically locking said movable jaw in a step-by-step position relative to the fixed jaw of said vise each time the foot pedal is depressed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a foot-operated vise including .a foot pedal and means connecting said foot pedal to the movable jaw of a vise for normally retaining a constant pressure on the movable jaw during actuation of the foot pedal.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a foot-operated bench vise including a novel and improved foot-operating mechanism that is quickly and readily applied to or removed from the vise in a convenient manner.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a foot-operated vise that is simple and practical in construction, small and com-. pact in structure, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive. to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a bench and showing the foot-operated vise applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the lower portion of the foot-operated vise and istakenon the line 22 of Figure 6;

Figure 3 is a top plan view taken substantially.

in the direction of arrow numbered 3 in Figure 2, but omitting the connecting chain;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view taken substantially in thedirection of arrows 4 in Figure 2', but omitting certain parts;

Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal central section in elevation of the upper end of the footoperated vise;

Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of the lower portion of the foot-operated vise, with parts of the support standard and connecting chain broken away;

Figure '7 is an elevational view of the spring molnting incorporated in the connecting chain; an

Figure 8 is fragmentary side elevational view of a modified spring connecting means used in the connecting chain.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral l 9 represents a bench vise generally, comprising a base 52, a fixed jaw 14 integrally' formed with the base, a channeled shank I6 slidably mounted in a longitudinally channeled guide groove l8 provided in the base i2, a movable jaw 29 integrally formed with the shank l6, and a feed screw 22 rotatably mounted in an opening 24 provided in the lower end 26 of the movable jaw 28. An actuating handle 28 is fixed on the feed screw 22 for rotating the latter.

Removably secured by fasteners or the like 30 to the supporting wall 32 of a useful work bench ,314, is a base 36 which is provided with a central opening 38 that aligns with a vertical opening 40 provided in the base l2. These openings 38 and usually receive a pivot bolt whereby the base 52 may be rotatably adjusted relative to the base 36, however, in conjunction with the present invention, the bolt is replaced by an externally threaded guide sleeve 42 which is receivably engaged in the opening 49 and which threadingly engages a nut 44 that is positioned in a notch 48 provided in the supporting Wall 32, and which frictionally engages the lower face of the base 36 for retaining the vise in a fixed position.

Suitably fixed to the lower face of the supporting wall 32, is the upper end. of a support standard or frame 48 having a bearing pedestal or footing 9 5|] at its lower end that frictionall engages a floor surface or the like 52.

Rotatably supported in a substantially transverse aperture 54 provided in the standard 48, is. a bolt or shaft 56 having externally threaded ends 58 and 60.

Fixed for rotation with the shaft 56, preferably keyed to said shaft on opposite sides of the standard 48, is a sprocket 62 and a ratchet 64 that are prevented from longitudinal movement on the shaft 56 by lock nuts 66 threaded on the ends 58 and 60 of said shaft. Rigidly secured to the standard 48 and extending forwardly therefrom, is a support plate 68 having an internally threaded aperture I that mounts a bolt "I2 which pivotally supports an angulated lever 14. One end of this lever I4 pivotally supports a pawl I6 for removable engagement with the ratchet 64. A bolt I8 (see Figure 6) loosely extends through the standard 48 at an inclined angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said standard 48, and is connected adjacent pawl '56 to the lever '14. A coil spring 80 mounted on the bolt 78 is biased between the standard 40 and a head 82 of said bolt for normally retaining the pawl 16 lockably engaged with the ratchet 64, as shown best in Figure 6 of the drawings.

Removably fixed on the shaft 56, adjacent the end 58 thereof and the ratchet 64, is one rounded corner 83 of a substantially triangular holding plate 84, one rounded corner 86 of which frictionally bears upon the bearing footing 50 and the remaining corner 88 of which is pivoted to an actuating lever or arm 90, adjacent the rear end 92 of said lever 90.

Rigidly secured to and laterally extending from the lever 90 is an attaching ear 94 that receives a depending bolt 96, which is threaded at its lower end into an internally threaded bore 98 carried by the corner 83 of the plate 84. A coil spring I 00 mounted on the bolt 06 is biased between the ear 94 and bore 93, to normally retain the lever 90 in a substantially horizontal position. The rear end 92 of the lever 90 is connected to a further coil spring I02 that is imbedded or anchored to the floor 92 for also aiding in retaining the lever 90 in a substantially horizontal position. A foot pedal or pad I04 is fixed to the forward end I06 of the lever 90 at a convenient distance from the bench 34.

Mounted in the channeled groove I8 and with in the shank i6, is a guide strip 508 that slidably supports a traveling nut block it that is threaded on the feed screw 22. A length of link chain H2 is fixed at one end I! 4 to the traveling block H0 and extends downwardly through the sleeve 42. The opposite end H6 of this chain H2 is pivoted to the outer portion H8 of a depending bolt I20 that slidably supports a pair of plates I22 and 24. Also slidably supporting the plates I22 and 524, is a further bolt I26 which is spaced parallel to the bolt I 20 and which is provided with an eye portion I 26 that is pivoted to the uper end I30 of a further length of link chain I32, the lower end l34 of which is fixed to the sprocket 62. A coil spring I33 loosely embraces the bolts I20 and I26 and is biased between the plates !22 and I24.

A pawl E30 integrally formed on the lever 90, is normally held out of engagement with the ratchet 64 by the springs Hi0 and I02.

Embracing a reduced inner end !40 of the feed screw 22, is a coil spring I42 that frictionally engages a closure plate I44 at one end of the channel groove I8 for urging the feed screw to an outward position to thereby open the jaw 26.

In practical use of the device, when the foot pedal I04 is depressed, the pawl I38 on the lever 90 rotates the ratchet wheel 64 which in turn revolves the sprocket wheel 62, pulling link chains II 2 and I 32 downwardly, thus pulling block H0 action of the jaws I4 and 20.

this art.

toward the closure plate I4 to efiect a clamping Ratchet dog I6 locks ratchet wheel 64 in a selected adjusted posi tion of the jaw 20. When pressure is removed from pedal I04, spring I02 pulls lever back to its normal horizontal position, and the lower corner 86 of the holding plate 84 engages the floor, thus preventing lever 90 from being raised above its normal position. Foot pedal I04 is depressed a suificient number of times to close the jaws of the vise. The compression of spring I36 compensates for the spacing of the teeth on the ratchet wheel 64 and maintains a constant pressure on the movable jaw 20. Upon pushing the upper portion of the lever 14 toward the standard 48, the ratchet dog 16 is jack-knifed and disengages the ratchet wheel 64. When the ratchet wheel 64 is thus released, spring I42 expands and opens the vise.

When the vise is closed and locked into place, it may still be opened by the regular or normal handle 28. This handle 28 may also be used for setting the vise for a definite opening in those instances when the same size material will be successively clamped, and thus it will be only necessary to depress the foot pedal I04 once for a slight clamping engagement of the vice on the material to be worked upon.

Reference is now directed to Figure 8, wherein there is disclosed the spring connecting means for the ends H6 and I30 for the link chains I I2 and I32 in slightly modified form. In this embodiment an open cage 446 depends from the end H6 of the link chain II2. This cage I46 is provided with a suitable aperture in its lower plate I48 that slidably supports a bolt or the like I50 that is pivotally connected to the link I30 of the chain I32. A suitable leaf type spring I52 loosely positioned on the bolt I50 is biased between the head portion I54 of the bolt and the lower plate I48 of the cage I46 to resiliently support the bolt I50 and to maintain the tautness of the chains H6 and is being operated.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessa It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A foot operated vise comprising a vise body including a fixed jaw member and a movable jaw member cooperating with said fixed jaw member for gripping work, a frame, a foot pedal pivotally mounted on said frame for upward and downward movement, means operatively connecting said foot pedal to said movable jaw member for step by step movement of said movable jaw member toward said fixed jaw member upon actuation of said foot pedal, means for locking said movable jaw member in a selected adjusted position relative to said fixed jaw member, and means for urging said jaw members into spaced relation upon release of said locking means, said connecting means including a feed screw carried by said movable jaw member, a traveling nut block mounted on said feed screw for actuating I30 as the foot pedal I04 the latter, and means connected to said traveling nut block and said foot pedal.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means includes a length of chain fixed at one end to said traveling nut block, a further 5 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Crowl May 29, 1866 Wheeler Mar. 21, 1876 Ellingsen Nov. 20, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany June 24, 1919 

